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State Department Rebrands U.S. Institute of Peace Headquarters as the Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace

A pending appeal keeps the building under government control even after a judge ruled the takeover unlawful.

Overview

  • New signage was installed at the Washington headquarters ahead of a planned RwandaDRC peace agreement signing to be hosted by President Trump.
  • The State Department said the new name reflects Trump's negotiating record, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio called him "the President of Peace."
  • White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly defended the change as overdue, while attorney George Foote for former USIP leaders called it an affront.
  • A federal judge previously found the government's armed seizure illegal, but that decision is stayed on appeal, allowing continued federal control of the site.
  • USIP is an independent, congress-created institution that owns its headquarters, which the administration targeted this year by ousting much of its board, dismissing staff, seeking to cut funding, and attempting forced entry with police.